The food you put into your body has a profound impact on your overall health and well-being. In addition to providing the nutrients your body needs to function, your diet can also play a role in determining how energetic you feel, how well you sleep, how clearheaded you are, and even how happy and relaxed you are. Making healthy dietary choices is one of the simplest ways to take control of your health and improve your life in a variety of ways. And if you are still not convinced, here are seven interesting ways that proper dietary choices can affect your lifestyle.

You’ll Have More Energy

If you often find yourself feeling tired and sluggish, it could be due to the foods you’re eating. Processed foods, sugary snacks, and refined carbohydrates can all lead to a quick spike in blood sugar followed by an energy crash. And after a while, this can leave you feeling run-down and unable to concentrate. On the other hand, a diet rich in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and lean protein can help to stabilize your blood sugar and give you sustained energy throughout the day. And if you crave a sweet snack in the afternoon, try reaching for a piece of dark chocolate with coconut palm sugar and cocoa content of at least 70 percent. Or, munch on a handful of nuts or seeds for a filling snack that will help to keep your energy levels up.

You’ll Sleep Better

If you have trouble sleeping, the foods you eat could be to blame. Eating a large dinner or consuming caffeine late in the day can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. And when you don’t get enough sleep, it can lead to a whole host of other problems, including irritability, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. To promote better sleep, avoid eating large meals before bed and cut back on caffeine after lunchtime. Instead, try having a light evening dinner and winding down with some herbal tea before bed. Just make sure you avoid teas with caffeine, like black tea or green tea.

You’ll Be Less Stressed

When you’re feeling stressed, your body goes into fight-or-flight mode, releasing stress hormones like cortisol. If this happens too often, it can lead to chronic stress and a host of health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity. To keep stress levels in check, make sure you’re getting enough omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats help to decrease inflammation and support the nervous system. Good sources of omega-3s include fatty fish like salmon, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts. You can also take a fish oil supplement or use an olive oil-based dressing on your salad.

You’ll Look Younger

While you can’t turn back the hands of time, you can help to slow down the aging process by eating a healthy diet. It may sound too good to be true, but the foods you eat can affect how you look. For instance, consuming too many refined carbs can cause your skin to break out and can lead to wrinkles. On the other hand, a diet rich in antioxidants helps to protect your skin from damage caused by free radicals, which can help you to look younger and more radiant. To get your daily dose of antioxidants, try eating plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables like blueberries, strawberries, tomatoes, and leafy greens. You can also take a vitamin C supplement or use a topical antioxidant serum on your skin.

You’ll Be Less Susceptible to Illness

When you’re eating a healthy diet, your body is better able to fight off infection and illness. That’s because the nutrients in whole foods help to support the immune system and can even help to reduce inflammation. To keep your immune system strong, make sure you’re getting enough Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and zinc. Good food sources of these nutrients include oranges, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and spinach. You can also take a daily multivitamin or supplement with these nutrients if you feel you’re not getting enough from your diet. This is especially important if you’re feeling run-down or if you’re susceptible to getting sick often.

You May Live Longer

While there’s no guarantee that you’ll live to be a hundred if you eat a healthy diet, studies have shown that people who eat a Mediterranean-style diet tend to live longer. This type of diet is rich in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. It also includes moderate amounts of fish and poultry and limited amounts of red meat and dairy. To follow a Mediterranean diet, try incorporating more olive oil into your cooking, eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and choosing whole grain bread and pasta. You can also add some fish or chicken to your meals several times per week. And when it comes to dessert, opt for fresh fruit or Greek yogurt instead of cake or cookies.

As you can see, there are more than a few benefits to eating a healthy diet. So if you’re looking to improve both your health and your lifestyle, be sure to incorporate more whole foods into your diet and cut back on processed and sugary foods. You will be amazed at how much difference it can make.

Published by HOLR Magazine.